New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-30
A PREVALENT FAULT.

When Harvey, the departmental 1Ofger,
was brought up for sentence, having pleaded
| guilty to tho charge against him. his counsel
sought TO move the court to ienlency oy
pleading that the prisoner had morbid
DISPOSITION to live beyond his Means The
Judge did not apparently consider this In
| mitigation Of the crime, for he sentences
| Harvey TO twelve years at hard labor IN the
penitentary The judge was right. morbid
disposition TO live beyond ones means might
be accepted in explanation of perhaps hall
| the crimes committed in civilized comnuni-
| ties, but it is to be hoped that this explana-
ton will never be regarded as a palliative.
No doubt morbid disposition to live beyond
ones means is dstinoiivey a vice Of civilza-
ton. Analysed, it is seen to be merely one
form of sclishness, and a particularly bad
form also Those who seek 70. live beyond
their means are Of necessity net honest, TO
begin with. They desire to humbug the
world into giving them credit for more than
belongs 10 them. In order to maintain this
deceptive appearance they must resort to oil
manner of tricks and subterfuges and petty
frauds and DISCUSSES, and OF course the edu-
cation they obtain in practising their impos-
lures fits them for further and more serious
dishonesty.
Few considerations are moro calculated to
give low opinion of mankind than those
which grow out of the shams and illusions OF
civilized life OF course it may be SAID that
only people of small calibre will sacrifice their
opportunities for happiness, comfort and use
fulncss in order to crafty the contemplate
vanity of cxcelling their neighbors in display |;
but unfortunately the prevalence of this foible
is too wide for society to shuttle of the re-
possibility by recourse to this theory. In
truth there are not many who are not to some
extent affected by the morOid desire to live
beyond their means. Ii is not always ques-
ton of money only IL is often one of repu-
tation, Of requirements, of knowledge. To
be thought TO have more, to know more, to
be more than We are, is so common that few
can escape the reprOach, and when the gen
cral weakness proves too cngro sing crime
follows. But the majority manage to re-
strain their morbid ambition within bounds.
They frequently involve themselves in debt
and load themselves with hardsSing and wholly
artificial and unnecessary cares, but there
they stop. The exceptions are those who
plunge like Harvey and his class, and who
while perceiving the inevitable end OF their
loings. are nevertheless incapable OF resisting
temptation. OF course they know they arc
committing crimes. but il is questionable
whether their conScenccs disturb them The
truth is that the kind Of perpetual falsehood
which many ambitious people live renders
them calous after time, aud when medi-
tating methods of raising the wind tho
vital consideration Is the danger OF detection.
The implication is that there must be Il
great deal OF potential criminah,y among
those who employ their wits In living beyond
their moans. Their careers are long-contin-
ned impcsitions They are habituated 10 The
,onccalment of the truth in all that concerns
them 1t is clearly impossible that they, should
retain, if they ever possessed, any strong
moral sense. From the practice Of falsehocd
and deceit tho descent to lawleSsness Is really
only matter Of proportion. The cultivation
Of the most hideous form OF hypocrisy,
namely, the aping of religious belief and feel
ing, is, moreover. ono of the customary &c
compartments of this species Of degeneration,
and it is notably frequent in the most fragrant
instances . forgery. embezzleIient and hdu-
ciary treason. Indeed, when one reflects upon
the ramifications of the common vice described
by Haryeys attorney as a morbid Ci.poston
10 live beyond his Means il seems difficult
to deal too severely with the flower and climax
Of this nsidous evil IL is one of the most
demoralizing agencies of the time. 1t brings
misery and shame to mutitudcs. 1t breaks
up homes, ruins promising careers, turns hen
est men and women into imroStorS and sharp
ers. The pursuit which Is the motive Of all
The mcanncss and all the ltnayery involved
is in itself despicable Elusive empty. 1t is
never worth having when attained, and its
attainment cost. honor, sell-res ect and happi-
ness Tho inclination TO follow the phantom
prize is truly morbid disposition hut the
world cannot afford to tr Il such as yield TO
tho tenn tation as ycnih offenders.